C J. Stroud had a vision of greatness, and a mother to be 'that constant'

Table Of Content

• Former Sparks star Candace Parker announces her retirement
• C.J. Stroud recalls how he promised his mom in 6th grade to buy her a house after his dad went to jail
• Texans' CJ Stroud Draws Comparison to Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes
• Fleetwood Oaks Drive Houston, TX
• Professional career
• UCLA students staging counter-protest as campus encampment …
• Joe Biden wins Democratic primary in Puerto Rico
• Ohio State

From being a five-star prospect out of high school to a two-time Heisman trophy finalist at Ohio State, Stroud has never let the stage overawe him. The 22-year-old rookie has just completed 16 of his 27 passes for 274 yards, throwing for a touchdown, no interceptions and a 106.1 passer rating as his Texans narrowly beat the Denver Broncos. It’s a journey in which he has dealt with his father being sent to prison, living squeezed into a small apartment above a storage unit raised by a single mother and the countless setbacks a prospective football career brings. Regardless of Stroud's performance against Michigan last season, Ohio State still made the College Football Playoff, where they lost a one-point game to the national champion Georgia Bulldogs. Still, Stroud cemented himself in Ohio State University and Big Ten history, placing his name in a recent crop of great Ohio State quarterbacks like Justin Fields and Dwayne Haskins. Stroud has athletic gene ties to one of the best athletes of all time.

Former Sparks star Candace Parker announces her retirement

"I just wanna let you know that your son is one of the best football players I've ever seen — his skill level, his mechanics — all of it." The proud son gave the game-winning football to this mother. Is displayed at the high school where he excelled on the football field for four years before attending Ohio State University. Stroud leads the Houston Texans to the playoffs on Saturday, friends and family of the Southern California native are cheering on the hometown hero. “It’s just that some circumstances in my life went the wrong way, but I wouldn’t change any of this for nothing,” Stroud says. It taught me how to not take things for granted.

C.J. Stroud recalls how he promised his mom in 6th grade to buy her a house after his dad went to jail

He found his next stepping-stone in the Midwest, sporting Ohio State across his chest. Stroud patiently awaited for the starting quarterback role to open up, as he proved himself worthy throughout the 2021 training camp. Second, Stroud reportedly scored an 18% on the S2 Cognition test, which aims to measure how quickly players can process information. By comparison, quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 pick of the Carolina Panthers, reportedly scored a 98%. Before their three-point loss to Jacksonville last week, the Texans had won three in a row. That began with a victory over Tampa Bay in which Stroud threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns, with no interceptions, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Texans' CJ Stroud Draws Comparison to Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes

Browns vs. Texans final score, results: C.J. Stroud, Houston dominate Cleveland at home for wild-card victory - Sporting News

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It was clear to see the love Fields’ teammates had for him when he huddled his receivers, quarterbacks and running backs and hit the Woah, or performed other types of dance moves, following final pregame warmups at the Shoe. Those things sound trivial when you read them, or even when writing them. C.J. Stroud has quickly established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season. The rookie has led the Houston Texans to a 5-4 record and is on fire since the first game of the season.

Fleetwood Oaks Drive Houston, TX

"We had a lot of support from a lot of different coaches on travel-ball teams," Kim told The Columbus Dispatch. Still, Stroud became a two-sport star at Rancho Cucamonga High School in football and basketball. As a point guard, he led the Cougars to a CIF Division II runner-up finish in 2018. He also threw 47 touchdowns as a senior quarterback. Michigan's Jim Harbaugh once came and watched an entire game of his. But it was Ryan Day's Ohio State football program that Stroud chose.

Before his senior season, Ohio State coach Ryan Day called him with an offer that brought him to his knees and to tears. Wasn’t like a lot of prized quarterback recruits. He didn’t start as a freshman or a sophomore, biding his time behind a more veteran quarterback. He’d have bad days, both for football and family reasons.

By August 2020, he’d rank 42nd — just a few spots shy of earning a five-star label. His ascent started with a quest to win Elite 11 MVP. Of those 11,050, just 224 are drafted into the NFL each year. Just 1,696 men make one of the man rosters in the world's best football league.

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Upstart Houston Texans struggle to sell out NRG Stadium.

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Joe Biden wins Democratic primary in Puerto Rico

He had won the accuracy challenge at camp, although he wasn’t getting much playing time. Impressed by his dedication, coaches decided to give him a chance, and Stroud wound up with most-valuable-player honors. It was but one of the many rookie highlights for Stroud, the Rancho Cucamonga High and Ohio State standout whose team will play host to surging Denver on Sunday. The Broncos, whose defense is smothering, have won five in a row after a 1-5 start. He has just been selected by the Houston Texans with the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Although the truth is, the beginning of Stroud's story came a long time ago, and that beginning came with hard times when life almost fell off the rails. Or when Michigan linebacker Cameron McGrone hit Fields out of bounds late, and Branden Bowen sprinted over to get in McGrone's face to send a message of you don't mess with our quarterback. This process is in the infant stages, but it’s already becoming apparent they have some loyalty to him and have respect for him. It’s obvious to say, but intangibly the most important characteristic for a quarterback to have is the ability to lead and for that loyalty and respect from teammates to follow. “You can tell he’s already stepping into that leader role, and I love it.

Texans fans will surely love to hear that confidence as their franchise quarterback heads into his second season, especially since he said it directly to one of the best defensive players in the league. As Stroud works to earn the QB1 status and tries to beat outMills, a third-year quarterback from Stanford, he’ll need moments like that scoring throw to Schultz to convince the coaching staff he’s the guy. And Stroud also displayed his growing connection with Collins on intermediate throws during a minicamp and throughout the offseason practices. Whenever a veteran-laden defense has been a step ahead of him, Stroud will quiz defensive coordinator Matt Burke or players, including safety Jalen Pitre, to ask about the coverage scheme to avoid making the same mistake twice. That’s an encouraging trait for a rookie to have, especially a former Big Ten Conference standout who excelled in big games, including a semifinal loss to the eventual national champion Georgia Bulldogs and their talented defense.

Elite 11 director of player personnel Joey Roberts was in awe. It would be several more years before she began to see and believe her child’s ability to play football and basketball was special. She arrived at that truth about the same time the rest of the recruiting and college football world did.